Startup Central
7 Reasons Why You Need to Get The Dark Base Pro 900
We chose the Dark Base Pro 900 as our case for our ultimate Entrepreneur’s Custom Gaming/Work PC. Most entrepreneurs nowadays aren’t buying computers anymore due to the high cost of buying a laptop/work station every 2-3 years. Technology is fast moving and entrepreneurs are seeking to build their own Work/Play Rig. When building your own PC, one of the most important components is the Case. A poorly made case can make your space look unsightly, reduce the life and performance of your internal components, and also be loud and annoying to operate. And that’s why the Dark Base Pro 900 caught our attention. The company behind the Dark base 900 Pro is be quiet!…take a guess what they focus on. Be quiet! is a premium brand manufacturer of power supplies and cooling solutions based in Germany. This case is part of complete build that we will be finishing up within the next couple of months. We’re building the ultimate Work/Gaming PC for entrepreneurs and startup founders. And after months of research, we’d like to present you the 7 reasons why we chose the Dark Base Pro 900 .
1. Beautiful Design
First and foremost, we chose the case because it has a timeless look. It’s not too flashy, too edgy, or too over-the-top with all the curves and lines you’d find in other cases. The beauty is subtle and controlled. Our first impression of the case is one of awe and admiration. We reviewed it in our conference room and our staff constantly peaked in to see what we’re reviewing. You can choose between Orange, Silver, or Black trim. We chose the orange trim. It’s a full tower case featuring brushed aluminum & ABS casing all around, and 4mm thick tempered glass side panel. Coming in at 14.39kg without parts inside and measuring at 577mm deep, 243mm wide and 585mm tall, it’s definitely not a case you can easily move around. But then again it wasn’t designed to be portable.
We also appreciated the subtle and tastefully branding placed on the metal side of the case and in front. The orange outline is a solid color and doesn’t glow, which we don’t mind. The case does come with RGB lighting kit and it’s relatively easy to install.
When placed on a desk presents a timeless beauty that doesn’t beg to be noticed.
2. Functionality
We needed a case that was going functioned as well as it looks. Below are some attractive features of this case that sold us.
Good ventilation: It’s a highly breathable design with ventilation mesh surrounding the entire casing on both sides ensuring abundant airflow.
Motherboards Compatibility: The Dark Base Pro 900 (and even non-pro version) is compatible with a wide range of motherboards. You’ll be able to fit XL-ATX, E-ATX, ATX, Mini-ITX, and even Micro-ATX motherboards. We like to keep our options open when it comes to motherboards.
Front Ports: On top you have the I/O button with 2 USB 2.0 ports, 2 USB 3.0 ports, and HD audio jacks. Your Audio and Microphone ports are in front and easily accessible instead of having to plug from the rear. We wish it included a USB-C port, but it’s not a deal breaker.
QI Charger: On the top Panel there’s a QI charger for you to place a compatible device there to charge. This is the first time we’ve ever seen this feature on a case.
Fan controller and RGB LED color switch: You can adjust the fan speed directly from the front panel and cycle through multiple color scheme of the RGB lighting. All these can be controlled without turning the computer on and going into some sort of interface.
One small aesthetic thing we didn’t like was the misalignment of the orange line (pictured below). It’s not a turn off, however would’ve been nice if it was perfectly aligned.
3. Cooling
No high-end machine can function for long if it wasn’t built with cooling in mind. The fans alone in this case make it worth the extra money. Instead of having to shell out money for decent fans, be quiet! includes 3 SilentWings 3 fans installed out of the box. The fans are 140mm PWM fans with a unique blade design which be quiet! claims to improve air circulation. There’s a fan in the rear and 2 fans pre-installed on the front panel. You can install an additional fan on the top deck (most likely for CPU cooler) and you can also install a single 120mm fan on the bottom. We also liked how accessible both air filters are on this case. Both can be accessed from the front panel with ease.
4. Build Quality
As noted above the entire construction is made from brushed aluminum, ABS, steel for internal frame, and 4mm thick tempered glass. The Dark Base Pro 900 Pro’s entire case is also lined with a fairly thick (about 4-5mm) high density sound absorbing foam that serves to reduce noise level. The front panel door is held shut by a magnet. Our complaint about this is that the magnet is awfully weak and doesn’t hold the door in securely. However the door does open and close properly.
When carrying the case around you won’t get a wobbly contorted feel of a cheaper case. It’s solidly built and stays in shape even when being manhandled a bit. Looking at the 4mm thick tempered glass gives you an idea of the attention to detail that goes into the build. A this point it probably sounds like be quiet! paid us a lot of money to toot their horn, however that is not the case. We really do enjoy reviewing and showcasing the craftsmanship that goes into building this product. The 4mm thick tempered glass is precisely beveled to ensure it doesn’t scratch or damage the case or your furniture when disassembling.
Tempered glass thickness
5. Attention to detail
We’ve reviewed hundreds of products and we can tell when the people who made it actually loves the product or not. And it all shows in the attention to detail that they put into designing and building it. The Dark Base Pro 900 ‘s easily removable thumbscrews for tempered glass panel, the rear, and most of the internal components are a nice touch. This makes adding/removing parts and disassembling a breeze.
The glass panel also doesn’t just sit on a metal screw. We’ve seen this in a lot of cases and it hurts our souls each time we remove and put the glass back on, knowing we’re scratching the inside ring each time. Be quiet! didn’t just put a rubber seal on top of the screw, no that’s not enough. They have the rubber seal secured in place by a plastic housing which lodges itself snuggly inside the case. From a manufacturing standpoint, they could’ve easily gotten away with a much cheaper solution. But gladly they didn’t.
And do you see the orange rubber washer protecting the case from the screw? It’s the little things that could’ve gone unnoticed, but didn’t, that truly makes a this case a product of love and care.
6. Carpet and Wood Friendly
Why is this even a selling point you may ask? It’s a small touch thats often overlooked and not appreciated until you see damages on your carpet, desk, or expensive wooden floor. You won’t find small pointy feet here. Nor will you find cheap plastic caps that could damage wooden table or floor. The foam inserts are glued tightly into a specifically carved cavity. This makes the feet extra secure when sliding or moving around. And the large dimension feet serves a dual purpose of protecting your flooring and providing enough clearance between the floor and the case.
7. Highly modular and customizable
This was one of the best selling features that sold us. The Dark Base Pro 900 was built to be highly configurable to your specifications. You can have the glass panel on either the left or the right. Inside there’s two 5.25″ drives, seven 3.5″ drives. If you’re not using 3.5 drives and instead uses 2.5 SSD, you can fit 15 SSD here. Not entirely sure why you’d ever need that much space, but it’s there. You can also remove the cages to improve circulation and fit larger 1080 GPU’s. The entire case is highly configurable and can be customized for whatever configuration you want to put inside.
Final Thoughts
The Dark Base Pro 900 Pro isn’t just a case. It’s a beautiful piece of art, an engineering beauty, and a product made to withstand the test of time. They didn’t skimp on any parts to save money. The engineering team at be quiet! did quite a lot to the case, but the one thing they didn’t do is compromise it’s quality. A few pictures can’t tell the whole story. Once you start working with the case and installing components, you start to see all the little things they did and all the details they didn’t skimp on. We’re glad we chose the Dark Base Pro 900 as our case for the build. Please stay tune for our complete build coming soon.
5 Best Gaming Mouse for Work and Play
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Unlimited graphic design services have become the go-to services of major brands like Uber, Buffer, 7/11, and more! You can follow in their footsteps by subscribing to an unlimited graphic design service since it allows businesses to scale anytime. Plus, it offers quick turnaround times without compromising quality. Besides those, it has a money-back guarantee and lets users cancel anytime without hassle.
If you can’t pick the best service, we have your back with this comprehensive list of the best unlimited graphic design services!
Which Provider Should You Choose?
We’ve done the homework and curated a list of Unlimited Graphic Design providers for you and also negotiated special deals on your behalf. You can see them all below and decide which one fits your business based on your needs.
Unlimited Graphic Design Providers
What Does Unlimited Graphic Design Mean?
These unlimited graphic design services have a monthly subscription business model. That means you can sign up and cancel whenever you like. What sets them apart from your typical freelancer, agency, or in-house designer is you gain access to a workflow that is designed to be quick and to the point.
You’ll communicate with their team through Trello, email, or an online platform. The option given is dependent on the company you choose. For example, only a small selection of services provide a custom built online platform for their customers.
Once you’re connected to their workflow, you can begin submitting as many design requests as you want. Although they all claim “unlimited”, it generally means you can “create” unlimited design requests. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll work on them all at once. Usually, they just work on one design at a time. When one completes, they start the next design.
The usual turnaround time is between 1 – 2 days, and that’s just for the first draft. It doesn’t mean your entire request is complete. If you don’t like it, you can request as many revisions as you want, and that will take more time. So it can take up to a week to actually get the design complete if you have a lot of revisions.
Another thing to keep in mind is content. You need to be able to have everything ready and provide all the content needed in order for their designers to get started.
How Does On-Demand Graphic Design Work?
Most graphic design services listed above offer clients a bespoke design platform. For instance, Penji’s design tool is an all-in-one platform where designers, account managers, customers, and their team members can communicate and collaborate.
Although the steps in working with a graphic design company are similar, we’ll use Penji’s design software to share the step-by-step graphic design process.
1. Log in
Once you’ve selected the subscription plan, log in to your design tool and access your dashboard. Most of these tools are user-friendly with a minimal learning curve and prioritize user experience.
This example of Penji’s dashboard shows a list and thumbnails of ongoing design projects. The menu at the top shows the Active, Completed, Drafted, and On-hold projects.
Submitting a design brief is the first step in the on-demand graphic design process. To submit, click the +New Project button at the upper right side of the dashboard.
2. Fill in the title
Think of a relevant project title that will describe the design accurately. Writing an accurate title will make browsing through ongoing projects easier once you have a long list.
For instance, if you’re creating a company logo, you can write “Logo design” and specify the company or industry beside it if you’re handling multiple brands.
3. Choose from design categories
The next step is to choose from the many design categories. Most unlimited graphic design services have around 100+ design categories. Penji has 120+ design categories. Choose one that fits your project.
4. Write a design brief
This step is crucial when working with on-demand graphic designers, as this will make or break your project outcome. Writing a thorough, clear, and well-thought-out design brief makes it easier for designers to understand exactly what you want.
Penji’s design platform has a few reminders on the left side when writing design briefs. Ensure you follow the tips for a better design outcome.
5. Attach files and images for inspiration
Some customers can’t express themselves clearly through written instructions. You can attach files and images to support your written descriptions with visuals. Attaching sample logos also helps lead designers in the right direction. Attaching your competitors’ logos is also a way to make yours better.
You’ll also need to choose the source file type in this step or let designers pick for you.
6. Choose a brand style guide
Subscribing to unlimited graphic design services means you can request any visuals for multiple brands. Penji’s design tool lets you save and categorize your brand style guides in folders. This way, you only have to choose a branding guideline for designers to follow.
Once you’ve chosen the associated brand, click the Create project button to start the process.
7. Wait 24 to 48 hours
Although most on-demand graphic design services’ turnaround is 24 to 48 hours, some companies may take more than two days. This is due to complex projects like illustrations or web pages.
Wait for the first draft and ask for revisions until you’re 100 percent happy with the design. Download the source file, and you’re good to go!
Why Should You Sign Up for Unlimited Graphic Design Services
Subscribing to unlimited graphic design services is more convenient than hiring freelance designers. Here’s why:
- Work with vetted designers and choose from various skill sets. There is no need to search for another designer fit for a particular project. The company will assign you the most suitable designer.
- No need to worry about additional fees as you only have to pay fixed monthly rates and get unlimited designs. Revisions also come at no extra cost.
- You don’t have to worry about graphic designers going MIA and abandoning crucial projects. Each design project is managed by an account manager who will check if deadlines are met on time.
- Signing up and canceling subscriptions with on-demand graphic design services is easy. You can sign up if you need a stream of designs while setting up shop and cancel anytime without incurring cancellation fees.
- Fast 24 to 48-hour turnaround, which prevents any bottlenecks in your marketing campaigns.
- Request to change assigned designers if you’re unhappy with their work at no additional cost.
- Organize your projects and brand style guides if you request multiple brand designs. The custom design platforms make managing projects efficient and convenient.
Are they worth it?
If you have a lot of design needs, they’re definitely worth it. Being that it’s a monthly recurring investment, you’ll need to make sure that you have the need for an ongoing graphic design service. This graphic design service model is comparable to outsourcing a designer yourself, except much of all the management work is done by the company. The quality of designs and turnaround time also tends to be significantly better when outsourcing a designer yourself.
In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, startups often find themselves navigating a maze of challenges that can hinder their growth and potential.
This is where the concept of a startup incubator comes into play as a guiding light for emerging ventures. A startup incubator is more than just a physical space; it’s a dynamic ecosystem designed to nurture and propel early-stage ventures toward success.
In this article, we’ll tackle some of the most common questions surrounding incubators. For instance – what is the role of a startup incubator? How does it differ from an accelerator?
And most importantly, how can it optimize your business?
Let’s begin!
What is an incubator in a startup ecosystem?
In a startup ecosystem, an incubator refers to a supportive environment or program designed to help early-stage startups grow and develop.
Incubators provide a range of resources and services to entrepreneurs, typically for a fixed period of time, with the goal of nurturing and accelerating the growth of their businesses.
Here’s the usual process of how an incubator supports a startup:
Onboarding
Startups who applied and were accepted are welcomed into the incubator with an orientation session. During this phase, startups get an overview of the program’s structure, expectations, and available resources. They also meet their mentors, advisors, and fellow cohort members.
Mentorship and Guidance
Startups are paired with mentors who have relevant industry experience or expertise.
Regular mentorship sessions provide guidance, feedback, and insights to help startups navigate challenges and refine their strategies.
Workshops and Training
Incubators organize workshops, seminars, and training sessions on various aspects of entrepreneurship. Topics covered during the startup incubator program may include:
- Business planning
- Marketing strategies
- Product development
- Legal and regulatory matters
- Fundraising
Access to Resources
Aside from training sessions, startups can also gain access to resources such as:
- Office space
- Co-working environments
- Internet connectivity
- Meeting rooms
Some incubators provide access to shared equipment, startup software, and other tools needed for product development.
Networking and Events
Incubators often facilitate networking events, pitch sessions, and demo days where startups can showcase their progress to potential investors, partners, and the broader community.
Business Development
Startups work on refining their business models, products, and market strategies. They receive support in identifying their target audience, creating a value proposition, and developing a sustainable revenue model.
Funding and Investment
Incubators may provide introductions to potential investors, venture capitalists, and angel investors Startups also learn about different funding options and how to pitch their ideas to secure investment.
Graduation
Successful completion of the incubator program results in a “graduation” for startups.
Graduated startups may continue to receive support through alumni networks, ongoing mentorship, or access to incubator resources.
Startup Incubator vs. Accelerator
A startup incubator and a startup accelerator are both support programs designed to assist early-stage startups, but they have distinct characteristics and objectives. Here’s a comparison between the two:
- Focus. Incubators typically have a broader focus and cater to startups in various stages of development. They often work with startups that are in the ideation or early development phase. Accelerators, on the other hand, are more specialized and typically work with startups that have a viable product or service and are ready to scale rapidly. They focus on accelerating growth and reaching key milestones quickly.
- Stage. Incubators are well-suited for startups that are still refining their business models, conducting market research, and building their initial product or service. Accelerators, meanwhile, are best suited for startups that have a minimum viable product (MVP) and are seeking to refine their business model, gain traction, and secure funding to scale.
- Mentorship. A startup incubator provides mentorship and guidance, often with a focus on helping founders refine their business ideas, develop prototypes, and validate their concepts. On the other hand, an accelerator’s mentorship is often geared towards specific aspects of growth, such as scaling operations, marketing, fundraising, and product-market fit.
Startup Incubator Examples
If you’re looking for the best startup incubators in the world, here are a few you of the most popular ones to consider.
1. Y Combinator
Situated in the USA, Y Combinator is considered one of the best startup incubators which has played an instrumental role in fostering the growth trajectories of some of the most renowned startups globally. The Y Combinator program spans a duration of three months, during which startups receive a funding injection of $500,000, albeit subject to certain conditions.
Subsequently, founders are immersed in a sequence of mentoring and refinement initiatives that culminate in the prestigious Demo Day. Here, founders showcase their concepts to an audience comprising investors and handpicked media representatives.
Mentees: Airbnb, Dropbox, Coinbase, Gitlab
2. Techstars
Techstars directs its energy toward nurturing startups rooted in technology. Since its inception in 2006, Techstars has been a driving force behind the growth of numerous startups. Annually, they select more than 500 fledgling companies, providing them with up to $120,000 in investment and the invaluable chance to partake in mentorship programs.
Backed by an impressive funding sum of $21.3 billion, Techstars stands out as a reliable choice for technology-oriented startups. Within its portfolio of activities, Techstars hosts several high-profile events and initiatives, including Startup Week and Startup Weekend.
Mentees: Uber, DigitalOcean, SendGrid
3. 500 Startups
500 Startups operates as a dual-purpose platform, functioning as both an accelerator program and a seed fund dedicated to startups. Positioned primarily as a venture capital entity, they proudly proclaim a management portfolio worth $2.7 billion. Their primary interests converge on sectors where technology, innovation, and capital growth converge harmoniously.
Their extensive investment history spans more than 2,600 startups worldwide, underscoring the maturity and comprehensiveness of their accelerator program across diverse markets.
Mentees: Grab, Canva, Credit Karma
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need an incubator for my startup?
If you’re in the early stages, lack experience, and could benefit from structured guidance, resources, and mentorship, an incubator might be valuable. However, if you’re aiming for rapid growth and have a clear roadmap, an accelerator could be more appropriate.
Do startup incubators provide funding?
Yes, many startup incubators provide funding as part of their support package. However, the funding offered by incubators can vary widely depending on the specific program, location, and the terms of the agreement. Some incubators offer direct funding to startups, while others may connect startups with potential investors or provide resources to help them secure funding elsewhere.
Every new business owner wants to keep costs as minimum as possible. This will allow them to do more with the limited budget they have. If you are one of them, the following startup software can significantly help:
1. Hootsuite
An online presence is a necessity for new businesses. Hootsuite can help you create content and get more followers quickly and easily. It is one of the most popular startup software, with a user-friendly interface and affordable pricing plans.
It has a free plan that allows you to schedule 30 posts across any social media platform. Not only that, Hootsuite will help you monitor the Return On Investment (ROI) of all your social media campaigns. This will let you know which works and which doesn’t. Its three other plans start at $49 per month.
2. Google Analytics
Understand your website better with Google Analytics. This startup software will let you track the traffic coming to your website. This will allow you to tweak whatever strategies you have in place as it tells you what needs improvement.
You can use Google Analytics free of charge as long as you don’t exceed 5 million impressions a month. It will help you understand your customers’ journey and improve your marketing ROI. It will provide insightful data that can aid you with your marketing strategies.
3. SendPulse
Excellent communication with your customers helps build stronger connections and build loyalty. Whatever messaging channel you choose, SendPulse is a superb startup software. It includes lead generation tools as well as promotional channels such as email, SMS, social media, and messenger chatbots. It also offers a free CRM tool and many others features.
SendPulse has a free plan ideal for startups, but if you want to upgrade, there are three premium plans to choose from. Prices start at $7 up to $11 per month.
4. FreshBooks
Once your business is running, you’ll be needing an accounting and invoicing software. That’s when you’ll need FreshBooks, an app that automates invoicing, bookkeeping, payment tracking, and many other financial tasks. In just a few clicks, you can view your financial status through its Profit and Loss Statements (PLS) feature, do taxation summaries, and check expenditure reports.
FreshBooks offers four pricing plans which start at $6 per month and up to $22 for the premium plan. If you need more services, they offer a custom plan in which you’ll need to contact them for a quotation.
5. HubSpot CRM
Primarily a CRM (Customer/Contact Relationship Management ) tool, HubSpot CRM is a must-have startup software. It lets you manage contacts, sales, pipelines, lead generation, and digital marketing, among many others. It consists of multiple tools or ‘hubs’ that you can buy separately.
HubSpot CRM offers three pricing plans that start at $45 per month and can go up to $1,200 monthly. It may seem expensive, but if you consider what this startup software can do, you’ll know it’s worth every penny.
6. Penji
Starting your business involves advertising and marketing. And to do this effectively, you’ll be needing graphic design. It can elevate your business in ways you can’t even imagine. For this, you need Penji, an unlimited graphic design service that lets you request all your visual assets.
For as little as $499 per month, you can request logos, digital ads, social media graphics, and many other branding collaterals. They have two other plans, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee that lets you decide without making a huge commitment.
7. Piktochart
According to statistics, infographics are the fourth most-used type of content marketing. They can increase traffic to your website by 12%. To create interesting and engaging infographics, you can use Piktochart. With this startup program, you can add videos, charts, interactive maps, and many other elements to your infographic and embed them on your website or blog.
Piktochart offers a free plan that’s suitable for startups and medium-sized businesses. If you want to enjoy more of its features, you can get any of its premium plans that start at $14 a month.
8. WordPress
Join the over 455 million websites that use WordPress, the world’s most popular website builder. It is an open-source content management system, which means it’s free to use. You can build the website of your dreams using this startup software’s plugin architecture and template system. It can help you create a website with responsive design, SEO, social sharing, and many other features.
Aside from the free plan, WordPress has four premium plans with pricing that starts at $5 per month and up to $45 a month if you pay annually.
9. Salesflare
Another CRM tool ideal for startups, Salesflare automates many repetitive tasks to make handling your business easier and faster. It can help with your email applications, social media accounts, company calendars, and many other processes. It also provides you with crucial data such as sales funnel analysis, quota management, sales funnel analysis, and many others.
Salesflare offers simple and affordable pricing. It has three pricing plans that start at $29 per month and go up to $99 a month. It also has a free trial that lets you try the software without a credit card.
10. MailChimp
If you’re thinking of strategies to add to your marketing campaigns, you need to add email marketing. It is one of the most effective but can involve a laborious process. To make it easy, use MailChimp, a marketing platform that lets you manage and communicate with your clients, customers, and prospects. With it, you can customize your emails, generate leads for your database, and perform many other email-related tasks.
MailChimp has a free plan if you want to try out the service first. However, its three premium plans offer many valuable features you won’t get from the free plan.
Final Thoughts
Growing your business can be an exciting yet arduous endeavor. There is a multitude of concerns, issues, and tasks you need to take care of. Fortunately, there are startup software that you can get to make your life easier. Whether free or paid, these are absolutely helpful and worth looking into.
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